Riet--Yes...wait until you see the finished rug!Peebee--I agree...but then again, I have four daughters! :) Here's the link to my first blog post about using a sander...hope it helps! http://woollove-functional-fiberart.blogspot.com/2009/11/another-new-toy.html

Andrea--It's SO much fun...plus, the rug is awesome (wait till you see it!!). She has promised to help me make one for myself sometime in August before she leaves, and I'm really looking forward to that!Joei--I feel lucky to have four daughters. In the summer, anyway, at least one of them is usually underfoot and keeping me company!

I will be totally honest. I do not envy you working with raw fleece. I know exactly how filthy they are, and how much work is involved in trying to clean it up before using. YUCK! But I have no doubt the rug will end up being wonderful, and your daughter will be thrilled to have had a part in the making of it. She can show it off to all her friends when they are snuggling down onto it in the freezing cold of Winter. :)

Woop... I have some raw fleece..no idea what is is but the sheep was called Adam:-) I have to say he is a very smelly boy!

Might start wit a small...something..what fleece do you use for a project like this and when you say tips down do you mean top ends to the table -which will be the top of the rug...does that make any sense what so ever??? Ha ha

This was a mixture of 'unknown' fleece from an area farmer, so you should definitely try a small project with yours...even a piece of flat felt that you could later sew into a small tote or something.Tips down means the tips that are away from the sheep as it grows (which will be the top of the rug) should be down toward the table surface, and the cut edge should be up.